Reading8 min read·Module 1

Install it, run one session, learn five moves

Everything so far has been the mental model. This lecture gets Claude Code onto your machine, runs one real session, and hands you five moves that most people using it every day still have not found. If you already have it installed, skip to the session and the moves.

Your first session

launch · goal · verify

claude · ~/my-project

$claude

session ready · describe a goal in plain words

>reverse a string, wr

readsrc/strings.js· find where reverse() should live

writesrc/strings.js· add reverse() and a test for it

bashnpm test· run the suite to check the change

0 passedthe change is verified

first session complete

You set the goal in plain words. Claude reads, writes, and runs the test, then reports what happened, and that full round trip from launch to a passing check is your first session.

A first session is one plain-language goal that Claude carries out with real file edits and a test run before reporting the result.

Install

Pick the line for your platform. The native installer is the recommended path and keeps itself up to date; npm and Homebrew work too if you prefer them.

# macOS, Linux, or WSL
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows PowerShell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# alternatives
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
brew install --cask claude-code

# confirm
claude --version

Then move into a project folder and start it:

cd your-project
claude

The first run signs you in. A Claude Pro or Max subscription includes Claude Code, or you can point it at an API key. From then on, claude in any folder opens a session rooted there.

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